Works of art, such as paintings, are usually stored and displayed in the open air which includes oxygen. It is well known that exposure to oxygen leads to deterioration of most materials over time by oxidation and hydrolysis. Deterioration is also associated with light exposure, thus paper-based works of art are often only put on open display for limited periods.
In actual fact, for light to contribute to the deterioration of a material, oxygen is required to be present. Therefore, an oxygen free (or controlled) environment will result in reduced deterioration, even in the presence of light.
Sealed enclosures that house a work of art in a low or zero oxygen environment are known. However, such enclosures are usually expensive to build because each must be custom-made for the situation.
WO2008/057059 describes a system of extruded profiles that connect together, intended for housing an advertising poster. However, the profiles generally connect by a hinged clip arrangement which is unsuitable for providing an airtight seal as needed for an artwork. There is insufficient compression to maintain a seal.